Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Desmond Ridder

Tuesday, January 27, 3:29 PM

When asked if he'd like veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers to return in 2026, new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said, "Definitely, I don't see why you wouldn't." McCarthy said he has spoken to Rodgers since being hired and thought that he was a great asset for the team in 2025. Rodgers will be a free agent in March, and it's unclear if he plans on returning for a 22nd season in the NFL. The expectation is that he'd leave Pittsburgh following the departure of long-time head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers clearly have interest in a reunion with Rodgers, but it remains to be seen if that's mutual, or if he has interest in playing for McCarthy again after the two reportedly had a falling out during their time together with the Green Bay Packers. If Rodgers returns to the Steelers, he'd once again be a low-end QB2 for fantasy with a team that needs more WR depth behind DK Metcalf.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:36 PM

Veteran free-agent quarterback Desmond Ridder is being signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on Wednesday, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jordan Love (concussion) and Malik Willis (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries, and the Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed going into the playoffs, so Ridder could be elevated for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. Ridder, the former third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, has bounced around the league the last couple of years. The 26-year-old has not appeared in an NFL game since 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Ridder was with the Bengals during the summer and also spent two separate stints with the Vikings. If Ridder is elevated to the active roster this weekend, he'll likely serve in a backup role behind Clayton Tune if both Love and Willis are inactive.